This on a day Gurung issued a fresh audio message from his hideout warning Tamang and his aide Anit Thapa that there end was near. “Let Binay and Anit keep in mind that along with my end, their end is also drawing near,” Gurung said.

The audio message came after Tamang visited and addressed a rally at Kalimpong today for the first time since he was appointed chairman of the semi-autonomous GTA’s Board of Administration by the state government in late September. While GJM councillors of Darjeeling and Kurseong civic bodies have already extended support to Tamang, councillors of Kalimpong Municipality are still in the Gurung camp.

Speaking at the rally held at Kalimpong’s Delo, Tamang said: “Bimal Gurung gave contract to two sharp shooters from Mane Bhanjang to kill me. He told them that he will give them Rs 5-lakh as advance and another Rs 5-lakh will be paid after I am killed. I have head the audio recording of this order that Gurung gave over the phone,” he said.

“Gurung also ordered torching of my house in Delhi. I am saddened by the level to which he has stooped.”

Tamang said that the latest bout of Gorkhaland agitation has failed to reap any result because of seven individuals, whose names he will male public with details later. He, however, right away named GJM general secretary Roshan Giri as the number one person responsible for the failure.

“He has been camping in Delhi for months now. Four out of the five leaders who met Union home minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi have been arrested (by the Bengal CID), only Giri has been spared. If this is not a setting, then what is it?” he asked.

In his audio message, Gurung on the other hand has said that those attending the upcoming bi-partite meeting with the state government on 16 October anti-Gorkha and anti-Gorkhaland. “I am waiting for the tripartite meeting that the Centre has promised. Gorkhaland supporters will attend that meeting.”